Be Neighbours, Not Enemies
Introduction
Paul tells us today that churches that are better off must help those that are poorer. He applies this when he asks the Church of Corinth, a church of pagan origin, to help the impoverished poorer church of Jerusalem.
Jesus concludes part of his Sermon on the Mount with the words “Be perfect as your Father in heaven is perfect.” A goal not easy to attain! Our love must go out to everyone; it must include even enemies and must imitate God’s love, who lets his sun shine on the good and the bad alike
1 Reading: 2 Corinthians 8:1-9
We want you to know, brothers and sisters, of the grace of God that has been given to the churches of Macedonia, for in a severe test of affliction, the abundance of their joy and their profound poverty overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. For according to their means, I can testify, and beyond their means, spontaneously, they begged us insistently for the favour of taking part in the service to the holy ones, and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and to us through the will of God, so that we urged Titus that, as he had already begun, he should also complete for you this gracious act also. Now as you excel in every respect, in faith, discourse, knowledge, all earnestness, and in the love we have for you, may you excel in this gracious act also. I say this not by way of command, but to test the genuineness of your love by your concern for others. For you know the gracious act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that for your sake he became poor although he was rich, so that by his poverty you might become rich.
Responsorial Psalm: Ps 146:2, 5-6ab, 6c- 7, 8-9a
R.(1b) Praise the Lord, my soul! or: R. Alleluia.
Praise the LORD, my soul!
I will praise the LORD all my life;
I will sing praise to my God while I live. R.
Blessed he whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the LORD, his God,
Who made heaven and earth,
the sea and all that is in them. R.
Who keeps faith forever,
secures justice for the oppressed,
gives food to the hungry.
The LORD sets captives free. R.
The LORD gives sight to the blind.
The LORD raises up those who were bowed down;
the LORD loves the just.
The LORD protects strangers. R.
Alleluia: John 13:34
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I give you a new commandment:
love one another as I have loved you.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel: Matthew 5:43-48
Jesus said to his disciples: “You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father, for he makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what recompense will you have? Do not the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brothers only, what is unusual about that? Do not the pagans do the same? So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
Commentary
Among the ancient Hebrews it was legitimate to hate certain enemies, but this hatred never appears as a commandment of the Torah. There is no explicit precept that states, “Hate your enemies.” Love of neighbour, on the other hand, is mandated, though it refers to love for fellow Israelites. It is not universal by extension. Christ offers us a new mandate: we are enjoined to love our enemies and pray for our persecutors. God himself is seen as the model of non-discrimination. The sun rises upon the good and the bad; the rain falls in the same manner. To be selective about those we love makes us no different than anybody in secular society. Christians will be able to effectively promote a more just and forgiving society only when the law of love, as prescribed by Christ, has primacy in their lives.
This principle of universal caring is concretized in Paul’s appeal to the Corinthians on behalf of the poorer churches. He cites the example of the church in Macedonia which, though poor, wanted to be part of the charitable efforts on behalf of the churches in need.
The collection basket is not the sole measure of good will, but it is a barometer. Christ became poor for us that we might become rich through his poverty. We become rich with the grace of Christ when we are generous to those who are poor.
Blessing
“Love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who persecute you.” Difficult to do, very difficult. But that’s what Jesus did. Is it impossible for us? May God give you courage and bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen!